In Disaster's Wake

The collision at sea between Andrea Doria and Stockholm directly involved some 2,000 people, but the details of how and why it happened were secrets known only to a handful of officers aboard both ships. Last week both sides finally told their stories--stories that differed so wildly on basic facts that they raised more questions than they answered.

The Swedish Case. Stockholm, by her version, was cruising easterly at 18 knots on the night of July 25. She sailed a moderate sea with little wind and a shining moon. Though other ships reported fog off Nantucket that night, Stockholm insisted that "although there was a haze on the horizon, visibility was good." The liner's radar, "operating perfectly," indicated another vessel ten miles off. Soon Andrea Doria came into sight two miles away. "Although the vessels were in a position to pass safely port to port, red to red, Stockholm went to starboard to give even greater passing distance. Andrea Doria, however, suddenly closed out her red light, showed her green light and veered sharply to her own left, or port, at undiminished speed, turning across the bow of Stockholm. Stockholm immediately went hard right and full astern, but it was impossible to avoid collision. . ."

Pinning blame for the collision squarely on sunken Andrea Doria, Stockholm charged that the Manhattan-bound Italian liner was not properly manned or equipped, failed to keep a proper lookout, was proceeding at excessive speed, had faulty radar protection, failed to sound required signals, and "suddenly and unexpectedly and without warning veered across the path of Stockholm and into collision with Stockholm."

The Italian Case. The Italian Line denied that the moon was visible or the range of visibility was two miles. The night was "dark and foggy," and Andrea Doria, when her radar picked up Stockholm, was sounding regulation fog signals. Andrea Doria's radar indicated that Stockholm would pass clear to starboard; Andrea Doria altered to port for greater clearance. "Thereafter, Stockholm's lights loomed out of the fog off Andrea Doria's starboard bow, whereupon her (Andrea Doria's) rudder was put hard left, and she sounded two short blasts of her whistle, indicating she was altering course to port. No whistle signal was heard from Stockholm, and shortly thereafter, her stem struck Andrea Doria on the starboard side near the bridge."

Blaming Stockholm for the crash, the Italian Line charged that the Swedish ship failed to keep a good lookout or make effective use of her radar, was proceeding at immoderate speed through the fog, failed to stop engines after hearing Andrea Doria's fog signal forward of her beam, altered course to starboard without ascertaining the course and position of Andrea Doria, failed to sound proper whistle signals, failed to stop and reverse engines when the danger of collision became apparent, and was proceeding eastward in the path of westbound vessels.

As it outlined its case, the Swedish American Line petitioned Manhattan's Federal District Court to limit Stockholm's liability to the value of ship and cargo ($3,021,655). The Italian Line countered with a $25 million damage suit against the Swedes. At week's end $3,000,000 in other suits had been filed against the companies, and more were coming. Stockholm was in a Brooklyn repair yard, where close to 40 ft. of mangled bow was being cut away and a new bow fitted (cost: $995,000). In Rome the Italian Line signed a contract with Andrea Doria's builders for a bigger, faster, roomier liner with another name to replace her. But still the big question remained: Would anyone ever know who was to blame in the incredible disaster (TIME, Aug. 6) that now counts a toll of 25 dead, 25 missing?

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